Carolyn Marie Duncan

Her childhood was filled with reading past her bedtime, discovering new stories and enjoying fantasy. She feared the R.O.U.S of The Princess Bride, wanted to fly with the luck dragon from the Neverending Story and dance with the goblin king of Labyrinth. She was captured by the magic of the written word and the endless possibilities of the human imagination. As a teenager she would recite poetry, E.E Cummings or T.S Elliot among her favorites, to her sister as they walked home from the school bus stop.

She earned a Bachelors and Masters degree from Reed College, and an additional Masters from Smith College before returning to live in Portland. She adored zines, moonstruck chocolate and Powell’s books. She rescued her pups Blue, Angie, Bella and Molly, and treasured them each unconditionally. And though her life was too short by far - her favorite days were filled with lyrical prose, tail wags & kisses, quiet walks in nature, delicious cups of coffee, ocean breezes and the comfort of books. She self published her book of poetry “The Wild Part” in May 2023.

Most of all she was deeply loved, and those who were lucky enough to love her will be forever better for having her in our lives. In one of the last things she wrote, she said “Play is a critical part of life and it’s unfortunate adults are expected to put it aside. Play can be writing, painting, sports, fashion, beauty - whatever makes you happy. Whatever you do for yourself. You don’t have to be good at it, or get paid for it, or become famous for it. Sometimes the best work comes out of doing something because it gives you joy.” So we hope that all those who loved her, and even those who may only know her through this moment, embrace a little play everyday as she would have wanted us to.

She is survived by her father Ray, sister Kat and brother Sonny. She will be laid to rest at Skyline Memorial Gardens in Portland. Donations in her memory can be made to Three Little Pitties Rescue, where she adopted Molly, to help rescue pups get the care and loving families they deserve. https://www.threelittlepittiesrescue.org/

“here is the deepest secret nobody knows,

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart.

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)” - E.E Cummings